Tallying machine



Dec. 1924- 1,517,371

H. F. MARSHALL ET AL TALLYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1- 1923 2 Sheets-5heet l P1511111 F Mar 511 an 1\ 4 7n 1 0 1521111211 P Wi TE I v @j i 5130: ac lf d H. F. MARSHALL ET AL TALLYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2/ v Harry gnuentov F Mar 511E111 Barman F Q/ Patented Dec. 2, 1924,

UNITED STATES 1,511,371 PATENT orries.

HARRY I. MARSHALL AND BENNETT F. WING, OF IDAHO FAILS, IDAHO.

TALLYING MACHINE.

Application filed February 14, 1923. Serial No. 818.971.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY F. MARSHALL and BENNETT F. WING, citizens of the United States, residing at Idaho Falls, in the county of Bonneville and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tallying Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tallying machines or score registering devices.

- The primary object of this invention is the provision of a relatively simple type of machine which may be used in connection with the playing of various games, such as pool, billards, and the like, as to enable players to accurately total the points as the same are made. a

A further object of this invention is the provision of a registering machine which ma be generally used fortallying purposes, an embodying a novel operating arrangement.

A further object of'this invention is the provision of a score keeping machine for eneral use in connection with the playmg of point games which will enable the individual players to accurately maintain records of their scores and the number of games played.

Other objects and advantages of this in vention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved score registering machine.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, taken substantially 'on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and showing operating details thereof. 1

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in cross section, showing important operating details of this invention.

Figure 4.- is a cross sectional view, take substantially on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 isa fragmentary front elevation of dial details of this invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, taken through a runway of this invention, and showing novel circuit maker and breaker means.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross'sectional view, taken longitudinally of a runway embodied as a part of this invention, showing certain cooperating details of the tally operating mechanism.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic representation of operating details of this invention. In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown but the preferred embodiment of this invention, the letter A generally designates the improved tallying mechanism or score registering device, which may include the vertical suport member 10 of wood or analogous material, having an upstanding head portion 11, upon the forward face of which a dial 12 is'afiixed in any suitable manner. The dial 12 is preferably of circular disc formation and preferably has delineations 13 struck annularly thereabout in any preferred arrangement, which may be designated by numerals 14. A preferred arrangement of the delineations in connection with a tallying mechanism adapted for score keeping of billards and pool games, is preferably that of subdividing the dial into 120 spaces circumferentially thereabout; every fifth space or delineation being designated by numerals which increase in multiples of five. 1

Below the dial 12, the vertical support 10 is preferably provided with arunway 20, which may be disposed tortuously upon the forward face of said support, and below which a rack 21 may be positioned in communication with the lowermost end of said runway. In cross section, the runway 20, which is preferably a housing, except in so far as certain openings therein are concerned, and which will be subsequently described, is V-shaped in cross section, including a top wall 22; bottom wall 23; and front wall 24. The front wall 24 is preferably disposed in a plane parallel with the support 10, and from which the top and bottom wall portions 22and 23-are inclined in diverging relation for connection at their edges remote from the front wall 24 to the front face of the support 10. A truck is disposed within the compartment of the runway 20, which may embody spaced members 26 and 27 attached respectively adjacent the front wall of the runway housing, and the front surface of the support 10. The top surfaces of these track members 26 and 27 preferably lie in the same plane, and

the facing edges 29 of said members may be convexly arcuate and in spaced relation to receive the playing elements 30 for passage thereover to effect the tallying operation, and as will be subsequently described. The front wall 24 of the runway housing is preferably provided with a plurality of circular openings 32, in any approved number, and which may be numerically designated by indicia 34 scribed upon the front face of the support 10 adjacent the openings 32. It is preferred that the indicia 34 representative of the lowermost opening 32 be the lowest value designating an opening 32, and from which lowermost opening 32 the indicia 34 preferably increases in value to the topmost 0 ening in the runway housing. Thus, as is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, the lowermost opening 32 is designated by numeral 1, and the openings in the runway are designated by indicia which consecutively increase from 1 to 15.

The lower end of the runwav housing 20 may have an exit openin 37 adjacent the uppermost end of the inc ined rack 21 for the passage of elements from the runway into the rack 21, whereon the playing elements or other movable objects 30 are exposed, substantially as is illustrated in Figure 1. At its lowermost end, the rack 21 has a stop member 40 to receive the playing elements thereagainst for maintaining them upon said rack 21.

Au indicator arm is preferably provided for cooperation with the dial 12, supported by a shaft 46 arranged concentrically of the dial 12 and extending forwardly and rearwardly of the support 10. F orwardly of the support 10, the shaft 46 may have a thumb nut 47 carried thereby to facilitate manual rotation of said shaft 46. The indicator 45 may also include an attaching collar 48 radially carrying a set screw 49 whereby the indicator arm 45 may be adjustably disposed in predetermined position upon the shaft 46.

Operating means for automatiotallying and causing movement of the indicator arm, 45 over the dial 12 is provided rearwardly of the sup ort 10, and is preferably carried by a horizontal shelf 50 suitably attached to the rear of the support 10. Spaced bearing standards 51 and 52 are preferably sup rted upwardly of the shelf 50 for rotata ly receiving t e rearwardly extending end of the indicator shaft 46 therein. An escapement mechanism 54 may be provided as a part of the indicator 0 erating means and which may be electrica y operated by means of playing elements or analogous members passing over the runway of this invention.

Referring to the means for operating the escapement mechanism 54, the same preferab y includes an electromagnet 56 suit ably supported as by means of a bracket 57 upon the shelf 50, and in circuit with a battery or exciter 58. A plurality of circuit makers and breakers are connected in parallel with the eleetromagnet 56 and battery 58, and carried by the trackway structure of the runway 20 intermediate the openin s 32. One of these circuit makers and brea ers is provided for each opening 32, slightly .1n advance of its respective opening, so that should a playing element, such as a pool ball, be inserted into the oiening 32, the same will )ass over the traelcway members 26 and 27 ior operating and closing the circuit maker and breaker associated with the opening into which the ball or other element is inserted. These circuit makers and breakers or switches each preferably include a pair of copper or analogous spring contacts 60 and 61, which are respectively so carried by the tracks 27 and 26 beneath the same, as not to interfere with the convex surfaces 29 thereof. The free ends of said contacts 60 and 61 are in superposed normally spaced relation intermediate the track members 26 and 27, just below the plane in which the trackway surfaces 29 are disposed so that a pool hall or analogous element rolling over the trackway may slightly depress the uppermost of the contacts to engage the lowermost contact whereby the switch defined by the contacts 60 and 61may be closed, and which closes the circuit for magnetizing the electromagnet 56 to attract an armature element 65 embodied as a part of the escapement mechanism 54 to be subsequently described.

Referring to the escapement mechanism 54, the same includes a toothed gear provided with a plurality of teeth 71 to define the spaces therebetween, which in number are equivalent to the number of spaces designated by the delineations and numerals of the dial 12. Thus, it is preferred that there be 120 spaces intermediate the teeth 71 of the gear or wheel 70. The gear or wheel 70 is fixedly carried by the shaft 46 interme diate the standards 51 and 52 and is associ' ated with a spiral spring 72, the inner end 73 of which may be attached in any approved manner to. the shaft or hub of the gear 70, and the outer end 74 of which may be attached to the standard 51, as by means of a pin 75. A rocker arm 77 is oscillativcly carried by a shaft 7 8 adjacent the wheel 7 0, said rocker member 77 having a pallet 79 upwardly supported thereby, as by means of a clamping bolt 80, so that the same may be adjustably maintained rigid with the arm 7 7 at its upper end. A resiliently su ported pallet 8f is oscillatively carried by t e lowermost end of the roe er arm 77 and upon the opposite side of the pivot 78 thereof with respect to the pallet 7 9. Both, pallets 79 and 81 extend in the direction of the teeth of the esca ement wheel 7 O, in accordance with the or inary escapement construction.

The lowermost pallet 81 is preferably provided with a lug 82 adjacent the pivot pin 83, which is adapted to engage a portion of the rocker arm 7 7 under influence of the spring 83 which engages the pallet 81 at one end thereof, and extends upwardly for connection to an outstanding arm 86 preferably formed rigid withthe rocker arm or member 77. The spring 83' thus normally tends to move the lowermost pallet 81 toward the teeth of the escapement wheel 70, yet permitting movement of the pallet 81 downwardly or away from the escapement wheel. Such construction will permit of manual movement of the escapement wheel in one direction tending to wind the spring 72, but will prevent movement of said escapement wheel in an opposite direction and the direction in which the same normally moves under operation of the escapement mechanism 70.

The armature 65 preferably extends lat erally from the pivot hub of the escapement rocker member 77, and is connected to a spring 88 at one end, the opposite end of which spring preferably engages a laterally extending lug 89, so that the armature 65 is drawn away from the electromagnct 56, when the latter is deenergized.

Referring to the operation of this invention, as used in connection. with the playing of a game of pool, the balls 30 of which are designated by various colors and numerical characters 31; the player having impelled a ball into the pocket of the table will place the same in that opening 32 of the runway 20 whose numerical character 34 corresponds with the character 51' of the ball scored. If the player has scored the ball bearing numeral 7, he will place the same in the pocket 32 designated by the numeral 7. The ball will then roll over the trackway members 26 and 27 of the runway 20 and will consecutively pass over the switches of the runway disposed intermediate the opening in'which the ball was inserted and the rack 21, and which switches are 7 in number. Passage of the ball over these switches will successively energize and demagnetize the electromagnet 56 seven times for operating the escapement mechanism 7 0 so that the indicator arm 45 will advance 7 spaces on the dial 12. In playing rotation pool, this rocedure is followed. Itis contemplate to provide a tallying machine A for each player. These machines may becompactly formed with the various laying mechanisms on a single support, eac player having an individual dial and runway therefor, which may be individually distinguished by contrasting colors or similar arrangements. As a ball or rolling element closes one of the switches of a runway, the armature 65 will be attracted to rock the member 77 of the escapement mechanism 54 so that the lower pallet 81 will be withdrawn from its normal engagement with the teeth 71 of the escapement wheel 70. Said wheel 70, under action of its spring 72 will advance. In the meantime, the upper pallet 7 9 has moved into the path of the teeth 71 and retains the wheel stationary until the electromagnet 56 is demagnetized by the opening of the switch which has just been closed. The armature 65 will then rock the upper pallet 79 out of engagement with and the lower pallet 81 into engagement with the escapement wheel 70, responsive to its spring 88; the whole of the above described operation merely moving the escapement wheel 70 as to shift the indicator arm 45 one space over the dial 12.

If it is desired to use this game, in connection with keeping score of a game of billiards, it is merely necessary to provide a single ball or playing element analogous to the pool ball 30, and the player having scored, say ten points, will drop the ball element into the opening defined by the nu meral 10. The subsequent operation is obvious from the above description, as it will operate the escapement mechanism so that the indicator arm 45 may pass over the dial 12 for ten spaces. 1

In connection with the provision of the resiliently mounted pallet 81, it is to be noted that the player cannot advance the indicator arm 45 in direction of the increase of the numerical indicia 14, because such movement will tend to rotate the shaft so that the pallet 81 will press into firmer engagement with its rocker arm 7 7. However, it is desirable that the indicator arm 45 may be moved in the direction of decrease of the numerical indicia 14. It is obvious that this is desirable, since if the game being played merely called for the total scoring of seventy points, upon obtaining the sev enty points, it will be necessary to return the indicator arm 45 to zero for a succeeding game; and which may be accomplished b the operator engaging the thumb screw 47- and reversing direction of travel of the indicator arm 45 so that the teeth 71 of the escapement wheel 70 will pass over the lowermost pallet 81, due to the resilient support of the same.

It is preferred that some means be provided to determine the number of games played. Various constructions may be provided to effect this purpose. A simple and compact arrangement is that of providing a relatively small or auxiliary dial 90, ro-

tatably carried within a circular recess 91 provided from the inside face of the support 10, and which may be carried by a shaft 92 carried by the support 10. A cog or gear wheel 93 may extend rearwardly rigid with the dial 90, and project from the plane of the rear surface of the support 10. The forward face of the auxiliary dial 90 is preferably provided with consecutive numerals 96 starting with zero, and which may be successively displayed through an opening 97 provided in the support 10 and through the dial 12, substantially as is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. A pawl member 97" is preferably swivelly carried by a sup port casing 98, the latter of which may be adjustably clamped as by set screw 99 upon the shaft 46 of the mechanism A, so that as the indicator arm 45 is automatically moved forwardly upon the dial for score indicating purposes, upon reaching the number of points which will determine a single game, the pawl 97 may engage a tooth 93 so that the auxiliary dial 90 will be advanced to display a numeral 96 through the opening 97, indicating that a game has been com pleted. The fact that the member 98 is adustably carried by the shaft 46 permits of the pawl 97 being positioned for any munber of points to determine a game. As is illustrated in Figure 5, the pawl 97 is set for a sixty point game. In accordance with the feature of this invention which will permit the indicator arm 4,5 tobe returned to zero, the pivot pawl 97 when moved in reverse direction by rotation of the shaft 46 will ride freely over the teeth of the gear 93. It is preferred that the swinging awl 97 be gravity operated and engage a ug portion of the casing 98 to effect movement of the auxiliary dial, as above mentioned. 1

From the foregoing description of this invention, it is obvious that a tallying machine has been provided, which while not necessarily restricted for use in connection with the maintaining of individual scores of games, such as pool and billiards, will find its most general use in connection with such games. The runway 20 need not necessarily be a continuous runway, but may be tortuous as above mentioned, and as illustrated in Figure l of the drawings.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of this invention without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the c alms.

We claim:

1. A tallying machine including indicat ing mechanism, electrically operated means for functioning of said indicating mechanism, a runway including a track and a series of entrance openings designated by various numerals, and inde endent circuit maker and breaker means or each of said openings and in parallel with respect to said electrically operated means, said circuit makers and breakers each including station ary and movable contacts positioned one above the other and extending horizontally across the runway in overlapping relation and being normally 'in spaced relation to each other and adapted to be consecutively operated in predetermined number by playing elements selectively disposed in the openings of said runway and moving along the track to engage and move the movable contacts into engagement with the stationary contacts.

2. A tallying machine including indicat ing mechanism, electrical y operated means for functioning of said indicating mechanism, a runway including a track having spaced side rails provided with inwardly extending flanges, said runway having a series of entrance openings, and independent circuit maker and breaker means in operative relation to said openings and parallel with respect to said electrically operated means, said circuit makers and breakers including strips secured to the under faces of the flanges and extending from said side rails in overlappingrelation to each other between the rails and spaced one above the other, the upper contact strip being adapted to be moved into engagement with the lower contact strip by a playing element moving along said track.

3. An escapement for registering machines comprising a rocker member oscillatively carried intermediate its ends, an adjustable pallet fixedly carried by one end of said rocker member, a second pallet swingably carried by the other end of said rocker member including a lug adapted for engaging said rocker member, spring means normally maintaining said lug in engagement with said rocker member and urging said pallet toward said first mentioned pallet, and an arm extending from said rocker member, an electromagnet for attaching said arm when energized and imparting rocking movement to said rocker member to permit the pallets thereof to operate in escapement manner with respect to a gear to be controlled thereby, and spring means normally holding said arm away from said electromagnet.

HARRY F. MARSHALL. BENNETT F. TING. 

